Maha Sivarathiri to be observed in historic Sivan Temples

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 February 2006, 02:43 GMT]Maha Sivarathiri Day religious observance is to be held in the historic Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple, Thiruketheeswaram Temple in Mannar and Kantalai Choleeswaram (Siva) Temple, about 20 km southwest off Trincomalee town on February 26th Sunday night . Arrangements are being made by the temple societies and Hindu Affairs Department , sources said.

Koneswaram, Thiruketheeswaram and Choleeswaram are several centuries old Sivan Temples in the North East. According to chronicles, Koneswaram temple was built six thousand years and King Kulakottan reconstructed it later.

Likewise Thirukeeswaram temple was also built several hundred years ago.

King Raja Cholan built Choleeswaram temple in Kantalai in BC 1010 when Cholan regime in South India was at its peak. The ruins of Choleeswaram were found in the midst of jungle when the Colombo government in 1952 implemented its state aided colonization scheme in Kantalai, a traditional Tamil village that has now turned it to a Sinhalese dominated, according to chronicles.

Saiva saints Thirugnanasambanthar and Suntharamoorthy have praised the glories of Koneswaram and Thiruketheeswaram temples in their Saiva religious books, which are called " Thiru Muraigal".

Meanwhile at a conference held Tuesday in Mannar District Secretariat with Additional Government Agent Mr. N.Neekilaspillai in the chair, army officials present had promised to shift backwards their sentry points located along Mannar-Madawachchiya (A 14) highway to facilitate devotees traveling in vehicles to reach Thiruketheeswaram temple without any hindrance, sources said.